Touchdown in the Friendzone
by ineedsleap
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng was kind, funny, and... flexible. Kim noticed. Au. Kiminette.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:/ Kim x Marinette is my favorite non-canon couple of the Miraculous fandom (because I think lukanettes canon by now) but it's so under appreciated. Marinette is definitely talented enough to be a cheerleader and Kim is a perfect football jock. If Adrien didn't exist I could see them maybe being together. We forget Kim's known her a long time and they're already friends. So without further ado here's: Touchdown in the Friendzone**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Miraculous, just the plot!**

Chapter: 1

Being Kim Le Chien was pretty hard if he did say so himself (and he did). He dedicated five out of seven days a week to working out. He'd jog in the morning before school, stretch after his shower, go to school, go to football practice, stretch again, and then repeat the process. His legs were his greatest weapon, his super power, his _life._

It was no wonder that there were constantly girls going after him ( except Chloe but honestly she was way more trouble than she was worth). With his tall physique and boyish good looks he was approachable enough to be into, but still incredibly attractive.

Neither of these things were why his life was hard. No, Kim was quite used to being a specimen of general perfection. What he wasn't used to was thinking of somebody else on that same level.

He obviously cared deeply and respected his friends. Max was more than just a calculator, he was patient while helping Kim study over topics he couldn't understand (Ms. Mendeleiev totally sucked as a teacher). Alix always encouraged him to work harder by toning down his ego a bit when it got to high. Ondine was adorable, and once she understood that Kim didn't really like her that way he really appreciated her tips during swim. The fellow football players were basically family.

Kim loved his friends. He did. But he'd never obsessed over anyone like the bluenette head cheerleader at every football game.

Marinette showed up to school one day completely collected. Of course this was also the Monday after the weekend that Adrien and Kagami officially got together. His royal blondness was so completely oblivious to the pain he'd caused Marinette when he burst in the room, basically singing about how wonderful his new relationship was.

Marinette crumpled.

The classmates shared a collective wince as she sunk in on herself. Eyes watering but never falling. Her head hanging down. Of course her personality didn't allow her to look anywhere less than happy for her former crush. However everyone could see that she was hurting.

Kim doesn't know what fixed it (there's a group conspiracy that Alya went over and refused to let her best friend be sad enough to be akumatized, doing a wild variety of enjoyment and general debauchery), but on Monday Marinette came in the room radiantly.

Her eyes were shiny and blue, get smile unstoppable, and her _hair_...

Her hair flowed free, a bit below her shoulders, and a singular ribbon was tied in a bow at the top of her head. She shed her pink capris for a skater skirt of the same hue that she paired with a pretty white top.

She was Miraculous.

Kim was pumped that the dudette wasn't going to let one guy bring her down for too long, but he was even more pumped at the idea that Marinette and her best friend had come up with over the weekend.

A pep squad! To cheer on the sport teams at the school, and bring general cheer throughout the corridors and hopefully over-all decrease the number of akumas.

She was just so sweet!

And... well... _flexible._

Who knew that when she wasn't tripping over her own feet, the Chinese girl was an everyday Olympic athlete? She was able to perform a bunch of athletic stunts not limited to backflips, cartwheels, high jumps, and splits!

He'd known that Chloe was coordinated (Who hadn't seen her in her ladybug cosplay? For as horrible as her attitude was, it's undeniable that that Mayor's daughter was fit. When she, Marinette, and Alya put aside their differences their squad was formidable at the least. The girls were athletic, organised, and mon dieu ... gorgeous.

He and Marinette had already been friends, but when he got to see her at his football practices and swim meets? When she'd scream his name out personally, and he could only imagine it being screamed somewhere else? When she'd send him little winks when they were joking about video games or, when she'd help someone else feel good about themselves and build up their self-esteem?

Kim would fall a little bit in love everyday.

But after the Chloe fiasco he was kind of scared to tell her.

Being Kim Le Chien was so hard.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:/ Thanks so much to everyone who followed/favorited/ reviewed (if anyone reviewed I can't remember). Also, I'm not really into sports so don't expect any detailed sports scenes because I'll probably mess those up! Anyway here's chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Miraculous, just the plot!**

Chapter 2

Kim was in the zone. Sweaty, gross, and panting, but undeniably happy as Collège Françoise Dupont took another win for the season. The cheerleaders were on their feet, demonstrating how happy they were with their football players performances.

"We walk the walk! When we talk the talk! Françoise Dupont will stay on top!" Alya's voice rang across the field as she led the cheer with the dance choreography. Marinette and Chloe were on opposite ends of the girls while performing synchronized stunts that ended in perfect splits.

"Let's go boys!" The audience was as equally excited by the girls as they were by the game.

Kim had already been hoisted into the air by his fellow teammates. Along with Pierre, the running back who had scored the final touchdown that Kim threw. He laughed in genuine happiness as he fist pumped the air. He laughed even harder when he saw Alix on the side, smiling smugly but refusing to hold him up, probably thinking it'd only inflate his head (she wasn't completely wrong).

"Yeah! Yeah! Ok now put me down. Guys. Guys come on." Chuckling the crowd put him back on the floor while slowly starting to disassemble themselves.

Nino, who was actually quite athletic and another member of the team, was quick to not lose the positive energy buzzing through the crowd.

"AFTER PARTY AT MY PLACE!" Everybody was hype again for some excitement before Chloe's voice cut through.

"In that mouse spaced hovel?" The words were mean, but her expression was teasing. The blonde was honestly trying to be nicer. "After that amazing win? Come on Nine-o we can do better than that. PARTY AT MY PLACE! Daddy's out of town. Somebody bring TEQUILA!"

If the fans were excited about a party in general, the idea of a party at Chloe's Mansion was too good to be true. The Cheer of affirmation was deafening.

While everyone started to disperse to meet up at the blonde's house, Kim went back to the field. He smiled pensively at the bleachers, remembering all the people who'd been there earlier. Taking a deep breath and smiling serenely, he really felt on top of the world.

A familiar high pitched voice broke his concentration.

"Le Chien!" He hardly had time to turn around before he was holding a handful of Dupain-Cheng. With her hair swishing in a high ponytail and lips curved in a beaming smile she was the cherry on top of his sundae of a day. She'd changed out of her uniform into black, baggy, sweatpants and a short-sleeved pink crop top. The gold hoops in her ears swung freely.

If only, he thought, she didn't think of me as just a friend.

Nevertheless he tightened his arms around her waist while she curled her legs around his back.

She was so light. It was like holding a ladybug.

He couldn't stop the slight blush that travelled across his face as they made contact. He hoped that it blended in with the general sweaty flush on his face from the game. She was obviously talking about something, he could hear football terms on occasion, probably congratulating him on the game. Her eyes were happy and shiny and her mouth was moving a mile a minute.

"...I didn't even know Pierre had it in him! His feet went like a foot off the ground to make that catch and oh my gosh nice arm Le Chien that was like what a 30 yard throw?" She finally took a breath to send him one of her patented heart-stealing smiles. His own face softened at the look of it. His head lowered so that there foreheads were closer. He took a deep breath, he really was tired.

"Thanks Mari. It was at least 89% because of your cheering." The words were said simply, but genuinely. He could tell she appreciated it. She tilted her head to the side a little bit, her eyes narrowing playfully.

"Are you being nice Kim? To me? Shortstack Dupain-Cheng?" She was trying to look serious, but the little smirk on her face was running it.

She was adorable.

"I can be nice on occasion," the quarterback joked back. "Besides your cheering does nothing to change the fact that you are miniature Mari. I can't help that you're a midget." Now he was smirking.

Her eyes narrowed. She huffed as she pushed herself out of his arms a bit just to smack him on the shoulder. Before returning to her original position. "I'm not even that short." She mumbled into his neck.

"HEY LOVE BIRDS!" Marinette's head jumped up from where it was at the cry of their friends. Kim could even see a slight blush across her cheeks. "Are you guys coming to the party or not?" He turned towards Marinette again, to see (to his disappointment) that the blush had already mostly faded away.

The smirk came back to Kim's face, pretending that the idea of them together didn't faze him at all, as if it wasn't what he'd been dreaming about for months.

"Come on shortstack looks like we've got to catch up." Then before she could protest he flipped her around, delighting in her little surprised 'oh', and had her on his back.

Then he ran towards their friends, laughing at the giggles coming from the pretty girl be was holding onto.

She latched her arms tighter around his neck.

Kim felt warm all over. Happy. He wished she could make him feel like this all the time, but for now he'll take what he can get.

Kim was in the zone.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:/ IM BACK BABES! Sorry I disappeared, I worked all summer and now I'm in my first year of college so wish me luck. This story isn't going to be too organized, lots of Kimnette fluff and all in the same universe as the other chapters, but not like thick plot lol.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Miraculous Ladybug**

**Chapter: 3**

Kim was nervous.

That was not a word normally associated with the tall varsity letterman, but today it was very descriptive of him.

The first football games of the season had gone really well and for once (with study tips from his bro Max) his grades were actually decent, but it was a month into the school year and now there was a different sort of battle to fight.

Homecoming.

He knew what he was going to wear. (Not that he didn't look delicious in everything he'd ever put on in his life because Kim Le Chien was one delicious specimen) This was important though. He had a sleek black suit picked out with a pink undershirt. His shoes were shined to the point of perfection. He had an appointment for a clean cut the day of the dance.

Kim also knew that he had reservations for dinner at six at a quiet restaurant decorated with pink roses and a view of the Thames.

The athlete had also obsessively been watching YouTube videos to learn how to not be the worst dancer on the face of the Earth (although he would never admit to this fact, even under the threat of death).

Kim had everything organized, all the t's crossed and i's dotted for a perfect parisian night of romance where we hoped to finally confess to the girl of his dreams.

Except a date.

He watched her during class, as she listened attentively to the teacher with that cute pout of concentration on her face. He was enthralled with her as she cheered at his games, effectively high kicking her way into his heart.

Sometimes it seemed like she liked him back. She'd wink at him when no one was looking, grab his hand to drag him to class when he didn't feel like going, and sometimes he swore she'd just bite her shiny, glossed lip when she caught him staring.

It wasn't long ago that she'd had her heart broken by the 'blonde prince' (more like the blonde prick) and Kim wanted to make sure he asked her in a way that was as memorable as possible. Everything was rigged up, and now it was time for him to man up.

(The only thing Kim didn't know was if his dream girl would say yes.)

He walked into the cafeteria with his heart in his throat. In his hands he clutched 3 pink tulips, tied together with a white ribbon. He saw her sitting next to her co-captains, loudly discussing new ideas. Her midnight blue hair glistened under the sun, and her eyes sparkled like ocean water.

When she saw him walking towards her, the corners of her lips turned upwards in a friendly way (well at least if she rejected him it wouldn't be too cruelly). It felt as if his feet were made of lead as he took those heavy steps towards the center of the cafeteria. The blood in his ears was so loud that Kim didn't notice the cafeteria descend into silence.

"Um..h-...hi Ma-Marinette I was wondering if, if you would..." Kim was horrified. His tongue was thick and useless and he had everything planned out and...

"Shortstack would you please go to the dance with me?" No facepalm on Earth was strong enough. The boy chanced a glance upwards to see Alya snickering behind her hands, Chloe looking amused but generally unimpressed, but Marinette? His angel? She just kept smiling that little smile of hers. The one that made his knees weak and his palms sweat. She took his flowers and fingered them for a bit, smelling the petals before putting the small bouquet down. Then she nodded a short little nod.

"Ok." The whole cafeteria roared. There were catcalls and cheers from every table. His fellow teammates came over to slap him on the shoulders in stood up away from the table and walked towards him slowly, hips swaying, until they were only centimeters apart.

"But we're wearing pink."

Kim of course had already known that.


End file.
